Earth-boring machine



Se t. 19

p 27 G. GENUNG EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed May 1, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l Y iii! H umn ladh 1 m PW- m n 7 m 8 M f 10 iL lm \Q\ Se t. 6 192 p 7 G. GENUNG EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed May 1. 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gilbert Gen an Se t. 19 1 641926 p 27 s. GENUNG EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed May l,- 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WIFE p 927 G. GENUNG EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed'May l. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .lllillvlllll l.

Gi/b er Ge Hung Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNITED. STATES FATE FFICE.

GILBERT GENUNG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 JOHN M. HUMISTON, E BERWYN, ILLINOIS.

EARTH-BORING MACHINE.

Application filed May 1, 1925., Serial No. 27,260.

This invention relates to power operated earth boring machines, mamly for heavy duty, and more especially to those of automotive vehicular type adapted for ready mobility from place to place, according to current local needs. t

The main objects of the invention are to provide an improved form of vehicular device adapted to serve as a derrick and earth boring machine; to provide an automotive earth boring machine of this character adapted to traverse the roughest kind of ground'met in ordinary practice and also adapted to serve as a powerful tractor; to provide on such a device an improved form of derrick for supporting the auger and drive means; to provide an improved form of torque reactor for the boring tool; to provide an improved form of mechanical train for transmitting power from its source to the auger and adapted to accommodate shaft fiexure, sudden load changes, and overload slippage; to provide in such a machine an improved form of universal joint; to provide an improved form of telescopic joint for the power transmission shaft; and to provide an improved form of anger dump control mechanism.

An illustrative embodiment of this inven- 30 tion is shown by the accompanying drawings, in which Fig 1 is a side elevation of the device as a whole, equipped for mechanical drive. Fig. 2 is a plan of said device.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the flexible drive shaft gearing at the foot of the derrick. by means of which the derrick section of the shaft is permitted to swing both vertically and horizontally about the base end.

Fig. 4 is a side view Of th6 mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows in side elevation 21 modified construction for the upper en or power receiving part of the boring tool as a whole,

' electrical drive means being provided for in this view instead of the mechanical drive means shown in Fig. 1, an electric motor being shown at the upper end of the gear frame, in axial alinement with the earth auger.

Fig. 6 is a vertical axial section through the speed reducing gear device, shown in the middle part of Fig. 5, for use when electric power is used.

Fig. 7 is mainly a sectional view through the spring cushion shaft coupling, shown just below the gear frame on the auger shank on Figs. 1 and 5.

Fig. 8 is mainly a plan View of the friction slip coupling shown at the left end of the platform on Fig. 1 and on the upper part of Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 9 is in the main a greatly enlarged side elevation of the normally upright main shank or drive shaft casing of the boring tool as a whole.

Fig. 10 is a still further enlarged view taken in longitudinal axial section through the member shown'in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 1212 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the front side of the auger shank broken away at the point where slotted to admit the U-connector for the dumping mechanism.

Fig 14 is a section on the line I l-14 of Fig. 6

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the earth boring machine as a whole, in each of the two forms shown, comprises mainly a portable carrying member 1, preferably of caterpillar automotive type, a supporting deck or platform 2 of oblong shape mounted "thereon in pivotal relation for rotary movement horizontally, a derrick 3 hinged to one end of said platform for vertical swinging, an earth boring tool in the form of a power auger 4 carried swingingly by said derrick in vertically movable relation, and power operated means hereinafter described for driving and controlling said auger.

In the mechanical drive embodiment (Figs.

1 to 4 and Figs. 7 and 8) the engine 5 on platform 2 furnishes the necessary power for the entire equipment including the tractor mechanism .1, the hoist drums 6, 7 and 8 and the sectional drive shaft 9, 9' for the auger, as will be readily understood, although the mechanical connections are not all shown in detail.

In order to best accommodate and control the heavy boring mechanism necessary for large and powerful units, the derrick 3 is formed with a broad base (see Fig. 2) which is hinged for vertical swinging at 10--10 to the short end 2 of platform 2 which in turn is mounted on the turntable 11. The necessary lateral movements are provided for by the horizontal swinging of said turntable, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2. By this arrangement, whenever it is desired to adjust the position of the auger, and also for swmgmg the auger laterally of the hole for dumping, the entire platform, derrick, auger and driving means swing bodily about the vertical axis of the turntable 11. This turntable, which is relatively near the derrick end of the platform 2, is power operated subject to manual control, as understood by those skilled in the art. and need not be further illustrated or described. The tractor drive ,mechanism is also well understood without descriptive detail.

The tool 4 is adj ustably suspended for vertical movement by the cable 12 from a medial point on the derrick 3 where a sheave 13 is provided. A dumping cable 14 is also attached to the tool 4, as shown in Fig. 1, which cable passes over a sheave 15, also carried by the derrick, besides the sheave 13. The elevation of the derrick itself is adjusted by a cable 16 attached to the tip, as at 3'. The three cables 12, 14 and 16 are controlled by the power operated drums 6, 7 and 8 respectively on the frame 17 which is set on said platform. These drums are controlled by the clutch handles 18, 19 and 20 respectively, as will be understood. The power shaft 9 is controlled by a friction clutch 21 having an upstanding handle 22.

The power transmission mechanism as a. whole is shown in side elevation by Fig. 1. Here, beginning at the right, power is delivered by the engine 5 to beveled gear 23, fixed on the upper end of shaft 24. A beveled gear 25 is fixed on the lower end of said shaft and transmits the power to a beveled gear 26, which is fixed on the right end of shaft 9. Said member 9 is connected through the friction clutch 21 to the shaft 9, on the left end of which is mounted the spring adjusted friction slip coupling 27. From this coupling a short shaft element 28 extends to the double-yoked universal joint 29 (see Figs. 3 and 4). From this joint :1 telescopically extensible shaft, including two main sections 30 and 31, extends forwardly under the derrick 3 to the worm gear box 32. where power is delivered directly to the rotary shank of the auger 4.

Referring to the joint 29, the details of which are best shown by Figs. 3 and 4, a central double yoke 33 is combined with a pair of single yokes 34, being connected turnably by pivot pins 35. The yoke 33 is formed with one U-shaped yoke at right angles to the other. The forward end of shaft 23 is journaled in the center of one of the two yokes 34 and the rear end of shaft 30 is likewise journaled in the other. The adjacent ends of said shafts are provided with bevel gears 36. The middle portion of the double yoke 33 is provided with an axial shaft 37 journaled therein. and gears 36 are fixed on the ends thereof. Each of the pivot pins 35 has mountezl for free turning thereon, a gear 36 for coaction with the adjacent similar gears 36 on the said shafts 28 and 30. The rear yoke 34 has a supporting arm or bracket member 38 extending sidewise horizontally. This is attached to the frame of platform 2 for support of the gear joint 29 described.

The mechanical power transmission for the auger 4 may now be followed through from the engine to the auger. The train of elements beginning at the engine 5 are gear 23, shaft 24. gears and 26. shaft 9, clutch 21, shaft 9, overload friction clutch 27, geared universal joint 29, telescopic shaft 3031 and ear box 32. from which the power is delivered to the shank of the auger 4.

In order to provide for powerful torque reactancc, and to relieve the drive shaft 3031 of this burden, a rigid frame is suspended from the derrick in effective relation to the auger 4, which frame is of substantially rectangular planar character and is disposed substantially co-planar and parallel with the drive shaft 30-31. The reactor, as a whole, comprises mainly a pair of crank arms 39 and a. pair of side bars 40 hinged thereto at 39', a rigid cross-connecting member 41 at the outer end of said bars, and a pivot rod 42 journaled adjacent to the hinge joint 10, preferably on the derrick side bars, as well shown at 43 on Fig. 1. Said rod 42 and arms 39 constitute a rigid U-spacer for the reactor bars 40. This spacer being pivoted as shown, the arms 39 swing freely to accommodate the lengthwise movement imposed on the bars 40 by their changing angular position relative to the derrick, and by restriction to vertical movement of the outer end, in lowering and raising the tool 4. The gear box 32 is provided with arms 44 which are journaled at their outer ends on the reactor bars 40 at 45.

The gear box 32 and the mechanism housed therein is substantially like or mechanically equivalent to that shown in the Humiston Patent No. 1,507,236, issued September 2, 1924, and need not be further described herein, as this dctail will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. The frame 32 on which the shaft 31 is journaled is hinged to the gear box as shown by Fig. 2.

The boring tool 4, shown as a whole in Fig. 1, comprises mainly a tubular shank 51, having on its lower end a scoop portion or anger 52, a longitudinally movable shaft 53 housed in said shank and automatic dum mechanism which will now be describe. Said shank is provided with a spring cushion coupling 51 at its upper end to absorb torque shocks as when stones are encountered.

The shaft 53 is operatively connected to the blades 52 in such manner that the latter are tilted to dump the auger when said shaft is raised by a pull on the dump cable 14. For this purpose shaft 53 has a horizontally disposed plate 53 fixed to its lower end. Links 53 extend upward from said plate. to a collar 53 which slides up and down on shank 51. Each blade 52 is ivoted as at 52 to the auger frame 52 and its upper end is swingablc inward by means of a lever 52 pivoted at 52 lever 52 is connected by a link 52 to said collar 53. When rod 53 is pulled upward by cable 14, it raises plate 53, links 53 and collar 53. This pulls up the links 52 and tilts levers 52 which'in turn tilt the blades 52*. When the shaft 53 is released, it is restored by gravity and the blades are closed thereby.

A modified form of the boring tool 4, adapted for extra heavy service. is presented more fully and on a larger scale by- Figs. 9 to 12. As will be seen the shanle 51 extends through the gear box 32' in whiz h it is rotatably supported coaxiallyj Here the dump operating shaft 53 coa'cts with a nut 54 and imparts reverse axial movement to a dumping shaft 55, pushing it downward when shaft 53 is raised by the cable 14. A worm gear 56 is keyed to the outside of shank 51 for coaction with a driving screwgear. not shown, on shaft 57, in the back part 32" of said box 32'. A bevel gear 58 on the front end of shaft 57 (see Fig. 1) coacts with the bevel gear 59 on the outer end of shaft 31, whereby the tool 4 is driven.

Gravity, supplemented by spring 60, operating on the auger blades 61 urge the scoop part of the auger to its closed position with the blades swung together as shown in Fig. 1, as when the auger is suspended in the air, ready to enter the ground. Upward movement of the shaft 53', responsive to a suflicient pull on cable 14 serves to swing the blades 61 outwardly and so dump the scoop part of the auger when it has been raised and swung to one side for emptying. The mechanical relation of the shaft 53' and blades 61 will now be more fully described. The said blades are supported on arms 62 by horizontal pivots 63 for swinging outwardly to dump as will be readily understood. Further details of the scoop structure need not be shown here as they are substantially as shown by the said Patent No. 1,507,236.

The upper arms 61 of said blades 61 are connectedby inwardly disposed links 64 to a plate 65 fixed on the lower end of said shaft 55. When the shaft 55 is pushed downwardly, said links 64 are pulled in: wardly, thereby dumping the scoop member.

The opposite end of each- In order to accommodate this action the shaft 53 fits slidably in the shank head 67 and in the sleeve 68'which is rigid with head 67. Relative turning of shaft 53 and said head is prevented by a key 69 set in sleeve 68 for riding in the shaft groove 70.

The helical spring 60 is compressivelv mounted concentric with sleeve 68 and shaft the lower end of spring 60 to accommodate whatever turning tendency develops in the operation of the spring.

The lower end of sleeve 68 is set in a v ring which is fixed in the hollow shank 51. The said ring 80 also supports the upper end of a rigidly set interiorly threaded sleeve 81 which at its other end is set in a similar ring 82 held in the lower end of shank 51. l

The above mentioned nut 54 is exteriorly threaded to fit in sleeve 81 and is spirally shouldered interiorly to engage the spiral groove 83 formed on the exterior of shaft 53". The said shaft55 is fixed to said nut 54 and moves therewith both rotatably and longitudinally.

Upward movement of shaft 53 responsive to a pull on cable 14, as for dumping, operates to turn nut 54 clockwise, as. viewed from the top. This causes said nut to travel downwardly in the threaded sleeve 81, carrying the shaft 55 with it. This in turn pushes the plate 65 downwardly and so operates the scoop members to dump the same. Vhen the pull on cable 14 is released the spring 60 restores shaft 53 and this in turn effects reverse operation of nut 54 and return of shaft 55 and the scoops are closed. In order to minimize friction a roller bearing is applied to the lower end of shaft 55. Here an inner ring 85 is fixed to shaft 55 and an outer ring 86 is fixed to a sleeve 87 which is rigid on plate 65, with rollers 88 interposed between said rings. In order to cushion the digging part of the tool, as when lowered suddenly against the ground, the blade supporting frame includes two parts 90 and 91 which are longitudinally slidable relativeto each other, the formed being fixed on shank 51 to which it is keyed, as shown at 92. Springs 93 are interposed between members 90 and 91.

The movable part 92 has an upstanding. collar 94 to enclose the said springs and a top cover part 95. It alsohas a depending outer flange 96 to which the brackets 62 are attached. The parts 91 and 95 limit the downward movement of part 91 and prevent stl'mltltlOIl. Relative turning ofparts and 91 is prevented by a key 97. hen the anger is lowered into place the springs 93 yield somewhat and the part 95 rides up slightly on the collar part of member 90.

The member 90 is secured against longitudinal n'ioveme nt on shank 51 by screw 98. This member 90 includes a cushion torque device having springs 99. These springs are interposed between horizontal disk segments on the inner member 90' and the outer member 90. as will be understood.

The torque shock absorber 51, in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 5, is shown in detail on a larger scale by Figs. 7 and 11 and the lower part of Fig. 0. This device comprises mainly a pair. of hubs 101 and 102, keyed as at 103 and 103. to the shaft sections 101 and 105 respectively, as best shown by Fig. 6. standing disk part 106 with a rim 107 there- 'on having 'an inwardly turned serrated flange 108. The hub 102 has a pair of outwardly disposed serrated flanges 109. The flanges 108 and 109 interlit mutually. and springs 110 areinterposed between adjacent shoes 111 carried on the said flanges 108 and 109. where they are retained by the oppositely. facing pins 112 on said shoes. In order to assemble the springs 110 and shoes 111 in the said device, a removable plate 113 is provided on the outer member 107. This plate overlaps the adjacent member 109 and is held by screws 114 engaging part 107, which screws may be removed when access to the interior is desired. The recesses in the flanges 108 and 109 are normally in. substantial registry to accommodate reception of said springs 110. The resilience of the springs in compression tends to maintainexaet registry, but as the load increases the springs compress somewhat and permit. corresponding relative turning of theparts 101 and 102 and the said shaft sections to which they are keyed respectively.

The. friction coupling 27 shown on Fig. 1 and also in the upper part of Fig. 6, includes three plates 115, 116, and 117, arranged in the order enumerated and held snugly together by a peripheral series of bolts 118, having compression springs 119 thereon, the tension of which is adjustable by means of nuts 120. The outer edge of plate 115 slightly overlaps plate 116 and extends somewhattoward the plate 117, which has the same diameter as plate 115, with a clearance space 120 between the outer edges, so as to insure clamping pressure of the two outer plates on the intermediate plate 110. Plate 115 is provided with a'hub 115' which is secured corotatably by a key 122 to the shaft The hub 1.01 has an out- 123. In a similar manner plate 116 is provided with a hub 116' which is secured c0- rotatably by a. key 121 to the shaft 125 as shown by Fig. (3. The corresptmding plates as viewed in Fig. 1 are keyed to the shafts 28 and 9 respectively.

Referring to the modified construction and arrangement illustrated by Fig. 5, accommodations are here shown for driving the auger by means of an electric motor, instead of by a mechanical connection to the power source on the truck. Here the derrick and torque reactor are substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this instance the anger is substantially like-that shown on Fig. 1. except certain details of the shank which are modified, because of the motor, to' accommodate connection of an eccentric dumping pull rod 131. The electric motor 133 and the speed reducing gear device 131 are connected rigidly by a frame 135 in axial alinement, with a friction coupling 27 interposed. The upper part of the frame 135 is provided with an upwardly extending bail 136 to which the cable 12 is connected for supporting the auger and motor device. A terminal block 138 is mounted on the m0- tor'and an electric power cable 139 extends therefrom to a source of current, not shown, on the truck. This cable is in part suspended from the derrick on a hook 140.

The torque reactor 40 is secured by hori zontal pivot bearings 112 set on opposite sides of the gear reduction casing 134. The upper end of the auger shank is connected by a spring cushion coupling 51 to the speed reduction shaft 143.

In order to acconnnodate the dumping means 131 the auger shank 141-5 is provided with a longitudinal slot 110 on one side. The dumping rod 147 in said shank has an arm 148 which projects sidewise through said slot. The lower end of the U-shaped rod 131 is secured to said arm 118 by a pin 119. The upper end of rod 131 is secured to the dumping cable 14, so that when said cable is pulled power is transmitted through rod 131 to the auger dumping rod 147. \Vhen the pull is released on the cable 141 gravity restores the anger, as in the device shown by Fig. 1.

Although only a certain few specific embodiments of this invention have been se lected to illustrate the improvements herein set forth it is to be understood that some of the details of the constructions shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An earth boring machine comprising in combination a mobile support, a derrick thereon, an anger suspended from said derrick to swing outwardly from said support, a torque reactor swingingly connected at one end to said auger to accommodate vertical movement relative thereto and having its other end swingingly supported adjacent to the connection of said derrick to said support.

2. An earth boring machine comprising in combination a mobile support, a derrick thereon, an auger suspended from said derrick to swing outwardly from said support,-

a torque reactor swingingly connected at one end to said auger to accommodate vertical movement relative thereto and having its other end swingingly supported adjacent to the connection of said derrick to said support, said reactor comprising a pair of bars, means connecting said bars to prevent relative movement longitudinally and means to prevent lateral swinging of said bars relative to said support.

3. In a device of the character described, a torque reactor adapted to prevent lateral swinging of the torque member to be controlled thereby, said reactor comprising an oblong rigid planar frame adapted for attachment at one end to said member and at its other end a support of inverted U shape, to the cross part of which said frame is pivotally connected.

4L. In a device of the character described,

a derrick hingedly supported at its base for swinging vertically,'in combination with a tor ue reactor and a boring tool suspended there rom, said reactor comprising a shaft journaled horizontally on the base of said derrick, a pair of de ending arms fixed on the ends of said shaft, and a pair of rods hinged to the lower ends of said arms respectively and extending forwardly to the frame of said boring tool, the latter being suspended from the free end part of said derrick, said reactor being adapted by reason of said depending arms to accommodate raising and lowering of the boring tool.

5. In a device of the character described, an inclined derrick supported to swing vertically about one end, a boring tool suspended from the free end of said derrick, and a torque reactor connected at one end to said tool beneath said derrick, and at its other end having a rigid crank-like support pivoted to and depending from the base part of said derrick, whereby the resultant approximate parallelogram of mechanical elements accommodates raising and lowering of said tool without impairing the function of said reactor.

6. In a device of the character described, a reactor comprising a shaft having a pair of parallel crank arms fixed on its ends respectively in combination with a pair of rods each pivoted at one end to the outer end of one of saidarms respectively, and means rigidly connecting the opposite ends of said rods which are held in a plane parallel with said shaft. v

7. An earth boring machine comprising a mobile support, a derrick mounted thereon, an earth auger carried by said derrick, a source of power on said derrick and a mechanical train connecting said auger to said source, said train including both a telescopically extensible shaft and a universal joint comprising a plurality of pivotally connected yokes and a plurality of bevel gears to transmit the power, said joint including a pair of single yokes keyed to respective shaft sections and an intermediately disposed double yoke.

8. In a device of the character described, a pair of rotary power transmittingshafts flexibly connected for universal movement relative to each other, the connecting joint comprising a medial double yoke with U- shaped ends disposed coaxially in the planes at right angles to each other, a pair of end yokes having arms, the ends of which are pivoted to the corresponding ends of the double yoke respectively, said shafts having their adjacent ends journalled in the middle of said end yokes respectively and six bevel gears, two of which are mounted on the pivots respectively which connect the ends of the yokes, two of which are fixed on the adjacent ends of said shafts, and two of which are rigidly connected to each other on the middle of the double yoke, said gears being intermeshed to form a power transmitting train.

9. An earth boring device comprising, in

operative combination, a mobile support having a source of power and a derrick mounted thereon, an auger carried by said derrick, said auger having swingingly mounted jaws adapted for opening and closing to their dumping and digging positions respectively and power operated means carried by the shank of said auger for operating said jaws, and means to transmit power from said support to said auger for rotating, lifting, and dumping the same.

'10. An earth boring device comprising, in operative combination, a mobile support having a source of power and a derrick mounted thereon, an auger carried by said derrick, said auger having swingingly mounted jaws adapted for opening and closing to their dumping and digging positions respectively and power operated means carried by the shank of said auger for operating said jaws, and means to transmit power from said support to said auger for rotating, lifting, and dumping the same, said 'aw operating means including in said shan a concentric pull shaft extending upwardly and a coaxial shaft extending downwardly and operatively connected to said jaws and having a nut part fixed thereon which part is threaded -lboth interiorly and exteriorly to coact with the correspondingly threaded .'surfaces of said pull shaft and said shank respectively, the threads on said nut part being differently pitched, whereby the efiective dumping force transmitted to said jaws is increased.

11. An automotive earth boring device comprising, in operative combination, a mobile support having a source of power and a derrick mounted thereon, an anger carried by said derrick, said auger havmg swingingly mounted jaws adapted for opening and closing to their dumping and digging positions respectively and also having me chanical means in the shank for operating said jaws, and means to transmit power from said support to said auger forrotating and lifting the same and for actuating said jaw operating means respectively.

12. In a device of the character described, an earth boring auger comprising a tubular shank having a rigid frame on its lower end with anger blades pivotally mounted thereon for dumping, in combination with a nonrotary longitudinally movable energizing shaft mounted coaxially in said shank and a pair of concentrically threaded members surrounding said shaft, the outer member being rigid with said shank and the inner member being rotatable by coaction with said shaft when the latter is moved lengthwise and being movable axially by coaction with said outer member to operate said blades.

13. An earth boring augur comprising a cylindrical shank having a frame with earth digging means operatively mounted on one end and means for supplying rotary power at the opposite end of said shank, in combination with an axially movable centrally disposed non-rotary shaft and a rotary sleeve interposed between said shaft and shank, said sleeve having high pitched spirally splined relation to said shaft which is spirally grooved for rotating said sleeve when said shaft is moved lengthwise, said sleeve having externally threaded relation to said shank, whereby rotary actuation by relative ly large movement of said shaft causes said sleeve to travel lengthwise with relatively great force to effectdumping and closing of said digging members.

Signed at Chicago this 6th day of February 1925.

GILBERT GENUNG. 

